The invention relates to clip-on glasses such as sunglasses, and more particularly to a clip-on glasses assembly and an actuating mechanism for such an assembly permitting the clip-on glasses to be easily secured to and removed from primary glasses. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel actuating mechanism which allow a user to mount and remove clip-on glasses with one hand.
It is known to provide a pair of clip-on glasses with a spring-loaded bridge, so that frame engaging members, or grapples, on the outer edges of the lens members of the clip-on glasses bear against the outside of the frame or the outer edges of the lenses of a pair of primary glasses. Examples of clip-on glasses of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,612 to Barrows, U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,538 and No. U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,628 to Friedman, and No. 5,710,614 to Cereda.
Clip-on glasses of the type described above may be mounted on and removed from primary glasses by grasping both lens members and pulling them apart, so that the primary glasses may fit between the grapples. Such an operation typically requires both hands of the user.
The invention provides a clip-on glasses assembly for mounting on primary glasses. The assembly comprises a pair of lens members, with at least one grapple on each of the pair of lens members for engaging the outer edges of the primary glasses. A bridge is coupled between the lens members, and configured to slidably receive the lens members to allow movement of the lens members between an open position wherein a space between the grapples is large enough to allow the clip-on glasses to be mounted on and removed from the primary glasses, and a closed position wherein the space between the grapples is small enough to prevent the clip-on glasses from being mounted on or removed from the primary glasses. Means for biasing the lens members toward the closed position are provided. An actuator bar having two ends is coupled to the lens members at its ends. Moving the actuator bar toward the bridge forces the ends of the actuator bar apart and moves the lens members into the open position.
The actuator bar is preferably generally U-shaped, and is more preferably constructed from a resilient material, thereby itself comprising the means for biasing the lens members toward the closed position.
Each lens member preferably comprises a slider bar attached to the top thereof, and the bridge preferably comprises a housing configured to slidably receive the slider bars at opposite ends thereof. Optionally, the means for biasing the lens members may comprise a spring attached between each slider bar and a portion of the housing; however, as mentioned, a resilient actuator bar may itself comprise the biasing means, whether alone or in combination with springs in the housing of the bridge.
The bridge may further comprise a locking mechanism for maintaining the lens members in the open position. The locking mechanism may comprise a lock bar and at least one biasing member configured to move the lock bar between the slider bars when the lens members are in the open position. The locking mechanism may further comprise a push button configured to extend through a correspondingly-sized aperture in the housing when the lock bar is between the slider bars.
The invention also provides a clip-on glasses assembly comprising a pair of lens members with at least one grapple on each of the pair of lens members, a bridge coupled between the lens members, the bridge configured to slidably receive the lens members to allow movement of the lens members between an open position wherein a space between the grapples is large enough to allow the clip-on glasses to be mounted on and removed from the primary glasses, and a closed position wherein the space between the grapples is small enough to prevent the clip-on glasses from being mounted on or removed from the primary glasses, means for biasing the lens members toward the closed position, and, a locking mechanism for maintaining the lens members in the open position.
The invention also provides an actuating mechanism for affixing to an existing clip-on glasses assembly to modify that assembly to enable it to be operated using only one hand. In particular, the actuating mechanism comprises an actuator bar having two ends, each end adapted for coupling to one of the lens members of the existing glasses assembly such that moving the actuator bar toward the bridge of the glasses assembly will force the ends of the actuator bar apart and move the lens members into the open position.